Deck lid lock



March 8, 1955 1-, v os 2,703,727

DECK LID LOCK Filed Feb. 23, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N V EN TOR. W'Yy gv Q l/z /ryasiadf T. VIGMOSTAD DECK LID LOCK March s, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 23, 1951 Mal'ch 1955 T. VIGMOSTAD 2,703,727

DECK LID LOCK Filed Feb. 23, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVEN TOR.

United States Patent DECK LII) LOCK Trygve Vigmostad, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Briggs Manufacturing (10., Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application February 23, 1951, Serial No. 212,427

8 Claims. (Cl. 292-121) This invention relates to a self-latching latch mechanism of the type which is particularly adapted for latching la). vlehicle rear deck lid in closed position to the vehicle An object of the present invention is to provide an improved latch mechanism for a closure, such as an automobile rear deck lid, including a latch member carried by the closure and yieldingly urged to a latching position for engaging a fixed keeper when the closure is closed, the latch member being movable in one path from latching position by engagement with the keeper to permit opening of the closure and being also movable in another path from latching position by engagement with the keeper to permit closing and self-latching of the closure, the mechanism also including improved manually actuated means for releasably holding the latch member against unlatching movement in said one path and being simply operable to release the latch member for unlatching movement in said one path.

Another object is to provide a latch mechanism of the foregoing nature having a pivotal latch member mounted on the closure to swing from said latching position by engagement with the keeper upon opening of the closure and being releasably held against said swinging from latching position by manually controlled detent means, the latch member being also shiftable to and from latching position in a path of movement independent of the path of swinging movement and being engageable with said keeper to be shifted thereby from latching position in said second path upon closing of the closure, whereby the latch member is enabled to pass the keeper in a closing movement, being thereafter yieldingly urged to latching position to complete a self-latching operation.

Another and more specific object is to provide a latch mechanism of the foregoing nature comprising a mounting for the latch member on which the latter is pivotal to and from latching position, the mounting in turn being movably mounted on the closure to elfect the aforesaid shiftable movement of the latch member to and from latching position, spring means being employed to urge the latch member into latching position against either the pivotal or shiftable movement from latching position. In order to hold the latch member with increased leverage against swinging movement from latching position, an operative locking lever is mounted on the closure and operatively engaged with the latch member to hold the same in latching position when the locking member is in locking position, the lever in turn being releasably held against movement from locking position by manually actuated detent means, which may be key controlled if desired.

Preferably the locking lever is in sliding engagement with an arm of the latch member extending from the latters pivotal mounting, so as to permit the aforesaid shiftable movement of the latch member independently of the locking lever, and is pivotally mounted on the closure adjacent the region of sliding engagement and is also provided with an extension engageable with said detent means at a location remote from the pivotal mounting of the lever, whereby a comparatively slight force exerted by the detent means will hold the lever and in turn the latch member in their respective locking and latching positions. When the detent means is actuated to release the locking lever for swinging movement from its locking position, the latch member is likewise released for the aforesaid pivotal movement from latching position by engagement 2,703,721 Patented Mar. 8, 1955 with the keeper to permit opening movement of the closure.

Still another object is to provide such a latch mechanism in combination with spring means yieldingly urging the closure from closed position and being tensioned when the closure is in closed position to overcome the spring urging the latch member into latching position, thereby to spring the closure at least partially open when the latch member is released for pivotal movement from latching position.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view with portions broken away showing the rear portion of an automobile body and swinging rear deck lid mounted and latched in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the deck lid and latch mechanism embodying the present invention, the lid being shown in a partially open position with the latch member in latching position adjacent the keeper for engagement thereby upon closing movement of the lid.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the lid in closed position.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows substantially along the broken line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows substantially along the line 55 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the latch member shifted to unlatching position, as by engagement with the keeper upon closing movement of the lid, immediately after the lid is closed and prior to shifting to latching position.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the lid in a partially open position and the latch member pivoted to unlatching position, as by engagement with the keeper .upon opening movement of the lid from the fully closed position.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

Referring to the drawings, an automobile body A is illustrated by way of example in Fig. 1 to show a rear deck lid B hinged thereon by suitable spring actuated hinge means C for swinging to and from closed position with respect to the body. In the present instance, the hinge means C includes a pair of torsion springs D cooperating to spring the lid B at least partially open when the lid is unlatched, as discussed below. Any customary spring actuated hinge means suitable for this purpose may be employed, so that the hinge device C, D is not discussed in further detail herein.

The deck lid B comprises in the present instance inner and outer panels 10 and 11 spaced at their lower portions by a bottom flange 12 of the panel 10 which joins the lower edge of the panel 11 to form the usual overlap flange 13. The latter overlaps and abuts a cushioning strip 14 retained in a channel flange portion 15 formed at the edge of an outer body panel 16 and extending at least along the lower edge of the rear deck opening. The channel 15 is reinforced from below by an outwardly bent flange 17 of an inner body panel 18, to which a keeper bracket 19 is secured by bolts 20. The bracket 19 in the present instance is provided with a forwardly inclined keeper or latch engaging portion 21.

The latch mechanism illustrating one embodiment of the present invention comprises a support or plate 22 extending in a longitudinal vertical plane and having integral flanged upper, lower and forward edges 23, Fig. 4, secured to the inner deck lid panel 10 and bottom flange 12 thereof by a plurality of bolts 24. The upper rear edge of the plate 22 is provided with a transverse guide flange 25 substantially parallel to the outer panel 11 and spaced therefrom and apertured for passage of the forward end of a slidable plunger 26, Figs. 3 and 7. The latter extends coaxially rearward through the flange 25 into a cylindrical lock housing 27 and is suitably connected with a plunger type key controlled tumbler housing 28 slidable axially within the cylinder 27.

The lock structure illustrated in Figs. 3 and 7 may be conventional if desired and is accordingly discussed only briefly herein. The cylinder 27 extends longitudinally through the outer deck lid panel 11 and is rigidly secured thereto, being integral in the present instance with a handle element 29 for opening and closing the deck lid B. The slidable housing 28 is provided with a key hole for insertion of a key 30 and is selectively locked against sliding or plunger movement, or unlocked for plunger movement as desired, by operation of the key 30. A coil spring 31 is confined within the cylinder 27 between the latters forward end plate 32, apertured for passage of the plunger 26, and the forward end of the slidable housing 28 to urge the latter and connected plunger 26 yieldingly to their limits of rearward movement, i. e. to the right in Fig. 3. The spring 31 is readily overcome by finger pressure applied to move the associated plungers 26, 28 to their limits of forward movement, Fig. 7, after the key 30 is turned to unlock the plunger 28 for plunger operation. It will be understood that other suitable lock mechanism to achieve key controlled operation of the plunger 26 may be employed.

Adjacent the lower edge of the plate 22, the latter is offset oppositely from the flanges 23 to provide a vertical reinforced portion 33 for supporting a swinging latch member 34 and swinging locking lever 35. The former is splined on a pivot stud 36 pivotal about a horizontal transverse axis and slidable within a flanged lost motion slot 37, Fig. 5, formed in the offset portion 33 and extending parallel to the keeper 21 when the lid B is in closed position. The stud 36 extends axially from the latch member 34 through the slot 37 and terminates in a shank portion which carries a spiral spring 38. One end of the latter is confined within a kerf 39 formed in the end of the stud 36, from which the spring 38 extends counterclockwise under tension spirally outward and terminates in a hook portion secured under a bracket 40 lanced from the plate 22 at a location forward of and below the slot 37, Figs. 3 and 5. The single spring 38 is thus effective to urge the stud 36 and associated latch member 34 eouniCl'CiOCkWlSfi as well as downward and rearward in the slot 37.

From the pivot stud 36, the latch member 34 extends generally downward through an opening 41 in the inner deck lid panel flange l2 and terminates in a keeper engaging portion 42 disposed to swing under the keeper portion 21 in parallel latching engagement therewith when the lid B is closed and the stud 36 is in the lower rearward portion of the slot 37. From this position, the latch member 34 is adapted to swing clockwise in an unlatching movement against the tension of the spring 38 and thereby to swing upward and away from the keeper 21, so as to clear the latter upon rearward swinging of the lid 8 in an opening movement, Fig. 7. Also by virtue of the slot 37 and the shiftable mounting of the pivot stud 36 therein, the latter and latch member 34 mounted therein are shiftable from latching position, so as to shift the portion 42 upward and forward in parallelism with the keeper 21 and out of engagement therewith. This action is accomplished automatically in a self-latching operation, upon closure of the lid B, as indicated in Fig. 2, by engagement between the upper edge of the keeper 21 and a lower rounded cam edge 42a of the latch member 34 declined forwardly from the rearmost end of the portion 42. After the lid-B reaches the position of Fig. 2 in a closing movement, whereat the keeper 21 is first engaged by the cam edge 42a, the latter rides along the upper edge of the keeper 21. Thus the latch member 34 and pivot 36 are forced forward and upward in the slot 37 against the tension of the spring 38 until the latch member 34 clears the keeper 21 at the fully closed position of the lid B. Fig. 6. Thereafter the latch member 34 springs into latching position of Fig. 3 by downward and rearward shifting of the pivot stud 36 in the slot 37.

The latch member 34 also projects generally forward and upward from the stud 36 as an arm 43 having a slot 44 therein. In the latching position, Fig. 3, the slot 44 extends parallel to the slot 37 and the upper edge of the slot 44 is engaged by a fixed horizontal flanged pivot 45. The latter extends transversely through the slot 44 and is secured to the offset portion 33 at a location intermediate the ends of the slot 44, Fig. 5, so as to ride therein and permit the aforesaid upward and forward shifting movement of the latch member 34 from latching engagement with the keeper 21.

In order to permit clockwise swinging unlatching movement of the latch member 34, the lower edge of the slot 44 is recessed at 44a to receive the pivot 45 and also to limit clockwise pivoting of the latch member 34 after it has cleared the keeper 21. In this regard, it is to be noted that the clockwise swinging of the latch member 34 must at least be suflicient so that the entire keeper engaging portion 42 will clear the forwardly inclined underside of the keeper 21 when the lid B is swung open, Fig. 7. Thereafter, any additional unlatching movement of the latch member 34 required to clear the keeper 21 will be achieved by engagement between the rear edge of the latter and the rearmost portion of the cam edge 42a acting to shift the latch member 34 upward and rearward along the slot 37.

In order to hold the latch member 34 positively in latching position with increased leverage for a given space limitation, the swinging locking lever 35 is pivoted at its lower end on the pin 45 and is provided with a stud 46 above the pin 45 and projecting into the slot 44 to ride therein. From the stud 46, the lever 35 extends upward adjacent the panel 10 and terminates forward of a pivotal detent member 47 connected to the plate 22 by a pin 48 above the plunger 26. As indicated in Figs. 3 and 4, the detent member 47 is provided with two generally radial flanges, including a detent flange 49 extending in a detent position transversely across the path of clockwise swinging movement of the upper end of the lever 35 and engaging the latter substantially perpendicularly, and also including a plunger engaging flange 50 extending transversely across the path of plunger movement of the plunger 26. Thus upon forward movement of the plunger 26, Fig. 7, the detent member 47 is pivot-ed clockwise from detent position, releasing the lever 35 from the detent flange 49. As indicated in Fig. 4, the upper portion of the lever 35 is offset from the plate 22 sufl iciently to clear the detent member 47 and plunger engaging flange 50 upon clockwise swinging after release from the detent flange 49. Also integral with the detent member 47 is a movement limiting projection 51, Figs. 3 and 7, disposed to engage the guide flange 25 and limit counterclockwise swinging of the detent member 47 at the detent position, Fig. 3. The member 47 is yieldingly urged counterclockwise to the detent position by a torsion spring 52 around the pivot 48, one end of the spring 52 being engaged under tension with the forward edge of the flange 50 and the other end being engaged with a spring retainer 53 lanced from the support 22.

Summarizing the operation of unlocking and opening the lid B from the closed position, Fig. 3, the key 30 is first turned to unlock the tumbler housing 28 for forward plunger movement. Thereafter, by the application of finger pressure, the plunger 28 is pushed forward against the tension of the spring 31, thereby moving the plunger 26 forward and detent member 47 clockwise and releasing the detent 49 from the lever arm 35. The deck lid operating springs D, Fig. l, are thus enabled to swing the lid B open, causing the latch member 34 to swing clockwise about its pivot 36 and clear the keeper 21, Fig. 7. In this movement, the lever 35, having its projecting stud 46 riding in the slot 44, will also be swung clockwise about its pivot 45. Finally when the lid is open and free of the keeper 21, the latch spring 38 will return the latch member 34 and lever 35 counterclockwise to the latching position of Fig. 3. If the finger pressure on the housing 28 has already been released, so that the latter and plunger 26 have been returned to their rearward positions by the spring 31 and the detent member 47 has been returned counterclockwise to its detent position, Fig. 3, the upper end of the lever 35 engaging the underside of the detent flange 49 will momentarily flip the same upward as the lever 35 returns to its forward position, whereupon the detent flange will again swing to detent position under the influence of the spring 52.

Upon closing of the lid B, the cam edge 42a will first engage the upper edge of the keeper 21, Fig. 2 and will be shifted thereby upward by movement of the pivot 36 along the slot 37 upon continued closing movement. Finally when the lid is in closed position, Fig. 6, the keeper engaging portion 42 will have cleared the forward edge of the keeper 21 and will thus be shifted downward into latching position, Fig. 3, by the spring 38. By virtue of the lever 35 pivoted at 45 and having the stud 46 engaged with the latch member 34 within the slot 44 adjacent the pivot 45, in combination with the latch member 34 shiftable along the slot 37 with respect to the lever 35, increased latch holding leverage is achieved within a comparatively small space and the latch member 34 is efliciently locked against pivotal unlatching movement by light pressure against the detent flange 49.

I claim:

1. In a latch mechanism for a closure structure, a locking lever pivoted on said structure to swing to and from a locking position, a latch member pivotally mounted on the closure structure for shifting bodily to and from a latching position independently of the lever at the locking position and for swinging to and from the latching position, said member having a portion engageable with a portion on said lever to swing the latter from the locking position upon swinging of the member from the latching position, the pivotal connection between said lever and structure being intermediate said last named portion and pivotal mounting of the latch member on said structure, said lever extending from said last named portion to a swinging end directed substantially oppositely from said pivotal connection, and detent means releasably engageable with said swinging end of said lever to block swinging thereof from the locking position.

2. In a latch mechanism for a closure structure, a locking lever, means pivotally connecting said lever on said structure to swing to and from a locking position, a latch member pivotally and slidably mounted on said structure at one side of the pivot axis of said means for sliding bodily or swinging to and from a latching position, said member being mounted to slide bodily independently of the lever at the locking position, said member having an arm engageable with a portion on said lever at the opposite side of said pivot axis to swing said lever from the locking position upon swinging of the member from the latching position, said means being in the path of swinging of said arm from the latching position to limit said swinging by engagement with said arm, and detent means releasably engageable with the lever to block swinging thereof from the locking position.

3. In a latch mechanism for a closure structure, a latch member mounted on said structure for pivotal and sliding movement to and from a latching position and having an opening in a portion thereof, a locking lever pivotal to and from a locking position, means projecting into said opening and pivotally connecting said lever to said structure, a projection on said lever extending into said opening in sliding engagement with the sides thereof for swinging said lever to and from said locking position upon swinging of said member respectively to and from said latching position, said means and projection being relatively slidable along said opening upon sliding movement of said member from said latching position when said lever is at said locking position, said opening having a portion shaped to receive said means upon swinging of said member in one direction from said latching position. said member having an edge along said opening engaging said means to block swinging of said member from said latching position in the direction oppositely from said one direction, and detent means releasably engageable with said lever to block swinging thereof from said locking position.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein said lever is pivotally connected to said structure by said means for swinging about an axis fixed with respect to said structure, and wherein said member has an edge along said portion of said opening engageable with said means to limit swinging of said member in said one direction from said latching position.

5. In a latch mechanism for a closure structure, a latch member mounted on said structure for shifting in each of two different paths to and from a latching position and having an opening in a portion thereof, a locking lever pivotal to and from a locking position, means pro ecting into said opening and pivotally connecting said lever to said structure, a projection on said lever extending into said opening in sliding engagement with the sides thereof for swinging said lever to and from said locking position upon shifting of said member to and from said latching position respectively in one of said paths, said means and projection being relatively slidable along said opening upon shifting of said member from said latching position in the other of said two paths, said opening having a portion shaped to receive said means upon shifting of said member in one direction from said latching position along said first named path, said member having movement limiting portions at the edges of said opening engageable with said means to limit shifting of said member in said one direction along said one path and to block shifting of said member from said latching position in the direction along said one path oppositely from said one direction, and detent means releasably engageable with said lever to block swinging thereof from said locking position.

6. In a latch mechanism for a closure structure, a latch member mounted on said structure for shifting in each of two different paths to and from a latching position and having an opening in a portion thereof, a locking lever pivotal to and from a locking position, means projecting into said opening and pivotally connecting said lever to said structure, a projection on said lever extending into said opening in sliding engagement with the sides thereof for swinging said lever to and from said locking position upon shifting of said member to and from said latching position respectively in one of said paths, said means and projection being relatively slidable along said opening upon shifting of said member from said latching position in the other of said two paths, said opening having a portion shaped to receive said means upon shifting of said member in one direction from said latching position along said first named path, said means being intermediate said projection and the mounting between said member and structure when said member is at said latch ing position, said lever extending from said projection in a direction away from said means to a swinging end, and detent means releasably engageable with said swinging end to block swinging thereof from said locking position.

7. In a latch mechanism for a vertically swinging vehicular rear deck lid, a latch member having a keeper engaging portion and a lever engaging arm, means mounting said member on said lid for swinging and sliding movement to and from a latching position, said arm having an inclined slot therein perpendicular to the pivotal axis of said member, a pivotal locking lever, a pin having an axis parallel to the first named axis and fixed with respect to said lid and extending into said slot at a location above said means, said lever being mounted on said pin to swing about the axis thereof, a projection on said lever at a location above said pin and extending into said slot in sliding engagement with the edges thereof for swinging said lever to and from said locking position upon swinging of said member respectively to and from said latching position, said projection and pin being relatively slidable along said slot upon sliding movement of said member from said latching position when said lever is at said locking position, said slot having an enlargement to receive said pin upon swinging of said member in one direction from said latching position, and said lever extending upwardly from said projection to an upper end, and detent means releasably engageable with said upper end to block swinging thereof from said locking position.

8. The combination as set forth in claim 7 wherein one edge of said slot is in blocking engagement with said pin to block swinging of said member from said latching position in the direction oppositely from said one direction, and wherein said enlargement has an edge engageable with said pin to limit swinging of said member to said one direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,346,656 Berghofi Apr. 18, 1944 2,548,242 Rosenbarger Apr. 10, 1951 2,658,778 Dall Nov. 10, 1953 2,658,779 Dall Nov. 10, 1953 

